UK: Police Face Criminal Charges in Fatal Speed Camera TestTwo police in Lancaster, UK face criminal charges after their test of a speed camera last year killed a motorist and injured a passenger.

The UK's Independent Police Complaints Commission announced today that two police officers may face criminal charges after their high-speed test of a VASCAR speed camera device last year killed one innocent motorist and injured a passenger. The officers involved have been ordered to appear before Liverpool magistrates on February 11.

The incident occurred on November 2, 2006, while Peter Williams, 67, was driving with his wife of forty-three years, Jean, on the way to the countryside for a weekend getaway. Williams, a retired professor of biology at Lancaster University, was driving on the B6254 between the villages of Arkholme and Over Kellet near Lancaster.

As the Williams' Volkswagen Touran minivan was rounding a bend, it was struck head-on by a marked police Volvo V70 driven by Sean Schofield, 38, who had been acting as the "speeder" for the purpose of the test. Peter Williams died the next day while Jean Williams suffered serious injuries. Andrew Massingham, 41, was behind the wheel of the chasing police car and also faces criminal charges.